Doctor Who_ Full Circle - Andrew Smith [22]
It is usually a very effective psychological ploy to leave someone you wish to feel inferior standing in total darkness for a period of time. It instils in most people a sense of vulnerability and paranoia.
'If you'd listened to that final reminder,' the Doctor pointed out, 'and paid the bill, this never would have happened.'
The Doctor was not 'most people'. He had been left in darkness for over half and hour.
'If you don't speak to me soon, I shall go into a huff.'
There was serious reasoning behind the Doctor's levity. He didn't speak merely to intimidate his unseen audience: the resonance of his voice enabled him to approximate the dimensions of the room in which he stood. It was large - very large. Always know your territory, the Doctor considered.
'Where is the Marshchild?' the Doctor demanded. He had played their game long enough.
'The creature is with Dexeter.'
The voice came from nowhere - the Doctor estimated that 'nowhere' was about forty feet in front of him and twenty feet above him.
'Who's Dexeter when he's at home?'
'He is the community Perceptor - expert in science, mathematics, medicine, all the necessary fields.' A pause. 'He's waited a long time for one of those things. It seems proper to let him have his fun.'
'If that child is harmed...'
'Don't threaten us, Doctor.'
'The creature will not be harmed,' came another voice. 'We are not barbarians.'
A spotlight came on and lit up the Doctor. He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and bubbled his lips. 'Ho hum. Yes, very good. Very striking. Very visual. Very boring.'
Three more spotlights activated, one by one, illuminating Nefred, Garif and Login in turn. Over their official clothing they wore the ceremonial golden epaulettes of the Deciders in Session.
In turn, they rose to their feet and announced themselves.
All the lights went up, and the Doctor saw before him tiers of transparent cabinets packed full with books and manuals of every size and description. At the far end of the room, the Deciders sat in their galleries, Nefred, by virtue of being First Decider, occupying a level above Garif and Login.
The Doctor remembered that Adric had spoken of the Great Book Room. This was it. Despite himself, he was impressed.
'Doctor,' Nefred began, 'we are the Deciders, and we have questions to put to you.'
In the Outlers' cave, the Marshmen were gathered en masse around the TARDIS, hammering it with wood, rocks, or simply their fists. There was a bestial ferocity in their actions, and yet a certain degree of co-ordination, their blows timed to inflict the optimum force on the TARDIS doors.
The Marshleader was the first to hear the sound - a low electronic hum matched with a peculiar whirring sound, coming from beyond the mouth of the cave.
The other Marshmen heard it too, and stopped their assault on the TARDIS.
Within the TARDIS, Romana had been leaning against the console, head bowed, listening to their hammering. The sudden silence made her look up, startled. She inspected the young faces around her as if expecting to find an answer in one of them. They were of course just as perplexed as she.
'Changing their tack?' Adric suggested.
Romana peered at the doors, lips pursed. 'I don't know.'
Adric steeled himself and made for the doors. 'Let's take a look.'
'No, Adric,' Varsh protested, but Romana had activated the door control. As they swung open, however, she eased herself in front of Adric. 'Stay behind me, Adric,' she warned.
Stepping into the void, Romana found the blue doors and opened them very slowly. Adric at her shoulder, she peered through into the cave, and what she saw made her brow furrow with concern.
K9 was trundling into the cave while the Marshmen regarded him with what Romana could only interpret as total astonishment. Romana tensed as she noticed the Marshleader weighing his club in his hand.
'Do not be afraid,' K9 soothed. 'I am non-hostile, operating in data acquisition mode. Explain your -'
The leader let out a shrill, horrible shriek and swung his club in an arc that brought it down on the back of K9's